Gutsy move pays off as Reynolds wins big

HOLDEN’S David Reynolds has shot back into Supercars championship contention thanks to a memorable race victory in Darwin yesterday.

The Erebus driver had a disastrous last round in May, but he hit back with his second win of the season in yesterday’s 70-lap race at Hidden Valley Raceway. The reigning Bathurst 1000 champion’s sixth career race win backed up his triumph this season during the Melbourne round in March.

Reynolds had to do it the hard way after starting from fourth on the grid, but he pulled off a miracle move on the outside during the first lap to speed past three cars and snatch the lead immediately.

After gradually extending his lead to be seemingly cruising to victory, the safety car came out with 16 laps remaining following dire problems to Tickford Racing’s Cameron Waters and Team 18’s Lee Holdsworth.

Waters’s engine failed, perching him in the middle of the track, while Holdsworth was forced to the garage.

But Reynolds delivered a composed restart to hold off championship leader Scott McLaughlin and Red Bull Holden’s Jamie Whincup, who got his first podium finish since Symmons Plains in Tasmania in April.

It capped off a terrific weekend for Reynolds after he finished third in Saturday’s race.

“Pretty much business as usual for me. I always try and get the best starts I can, so I just hung my balls out at turn one and I went a bit deeper than everyone and it paid off,” Reynolds said.

“My car was amazing today, I couldn’t fault it.”

The win looked to have more serious ramifications as McLaughlin battled problems with his car and it appeared he might struggle to see out the race. However, the Ford flyer got through his issues, which included excessive smoke coming out the back of his car, to secure a crucial second.

Reynolds (1448 points) sits third in the standings, 327 points behind McLaughlin (1775) and Shane van Gisbergen (1614).

Jack Le Brocq joined Waters and Holdsworth in failing to finish.